Go to a ceilidh or contra dance
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
At a ceilidh, barn dance or contra dance a caller walks the whole room through every figure before the band strikes up, so nobody needs to know a step in advance. You change partners all evening, which means arriving alone is perfectly normal.
ModerateUnder £100 / $130An afternoonIndoorsWith othersUK and US
How to start
- Search the English Folk Dance and Song Society's Folk Dance Calendar in the UK, or the Country Dance and Song Society events calendar in the US.
- Filter for participatory dances with live music and pick one within reach.
- Wear flat, comfortable shoes, take a bottle of water and tell the caller it is your first time.
Where to go
- English Folk Dance and Song Society: Folk Dance Calendar (events submitted by independent organisers) UK
- Country Dance and Song Society homepage (US, with Find an Event calendar) US
We opened these links on 8 October 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. The hard part of a day out is the timing: the right season, tickets and getting there. The plan watches the calendar for you.
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